Sare-receptacle for valuables.



H. W. WOODRUFF, Sn.

SAFE RECEPTACLE FOR VALUABLES.

APPLICATION man FEB. 3.1915.

1 ,1 83,332 Patented May 16, 1916.

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H. W. WOODRUFF, SR.

SAFE RECEPTACLE FOR VALUABLES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, I915.

Patented May 16, 1916.

2 SHEETSQSHEET 2.

llllllll' lllnlllll INVENTOR wlwh 5 6 ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE W. WOODRUFF, SR., OF SLIDELL, LOUISIANA.

SAFE-RECEPTACLE FOR VALUABLES.

Application filed February 3, 1915.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE W. VVooD- RUFF, Sn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Slidell, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have made an Improvement in Safe-Receptacles for Valuables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to locks for both portable and stationary safe receptacles for money, bonds, stock certificates, jewelry, and other valuables. In the portable form the safe is 'n'eferably constructed in oblong rectanglilar shape substantially as illustrated in my Patent No. 965,493, granted July 20, 1910, and it is provided with a door, preferably hinged, to which my improvement is applied. This form is particularly adapted for use in making shipments by parcel post or express or similar agencies.

The invention is hereinafter described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the portable form of safe, the door being closed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the door to which the lock seal and guard are applied. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the inner side of the open door with the lock separated therefrom. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a face view of the paper seal duly inscribed. Fig. 6 is a face view of a portion of the door of the safe-deposit box with my seal in place. Fig. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the application of the seal to a safe door when closed.

The portable safe shown in Fig. 1 is preferably constructed of sheet steel, and the door 1, which constitutes practically the entire front of the safe, is preferably hinged at 2. A lock 4, which may be either of the key, or combination, or other variety, is applied to the inner side of the door, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The lock case may be secured to the inner side of the door by means of screws inserted from the interior and entering threaded bosses.

The door 1 is provided near its free end and directly opposite the lock 4 with an opening, which in this instance is shown as circular in form. It is provided with a Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Serial No. 5,904.

skeleton guard or grating 6, which may be constructed in any suitable way, being preferably composed of bars crossing each other and which may be formed integrally with the body of the door proper, or composed of separate bars suitably secured at their ends to the body of the door.

The door 1 is provided with a vertical slot 7, which, as shown in Fig. 3, extends from the top edge to the bottom of the guard 0, as shown in Fig. 3. This slot is for reception of a lock seal 09 which is shown in several views and illustrated in plan in Fig. In Figs. 2 and 3, the seal is shown partly inserted, and, when fully inserted or in place as shown in Fig. (i, the inscription on it appears through the skeleton guard (3. It will be seen that when in inserted position this seal conceals, covers, and protects the lock or the key-hole entrance to the same, and. when the door is closed, the upper end of the seal (the latter being no longer than the slot 7) is bent over the top of the door and clamped between the latter and the adjacent portion of the casing, as shown in Fig. 7; and thus, when the door is closed, all access to the top portion of the seal is cut off. In inserting the key to unlock the door, the seal is necessarily torn or ruptured.

I contemplate the plan of issuance of seals bearing consecutive numbers by the U. S. Postal Department or other government agency duly empowered for the purpose, so that a party desiring to ship my safe by parcel post, may purchase a seal upon payment of a reasonable sum and apply the same to the safe. If made in duplicate a purchaser will retain one of the seals. A seal would in such case bear the letters U. 8., the appropriate number, which in this case is 5010, and the words To, From and Cashier. Then when the names of the consignor and consignee are applied the seal would appear as indicated in Fig. 5; that is to say, with the letters U. S, the number 5010, and the words To 1st National Bank, Chicago, Ill., from 2d National Bank, Vashington, D. C., Cashier, John Doe. Thus the transaction as between the parties and the government would be substantially such as already takes place when a party desires to ship any article by parcel post. Upon the box reaching its destination with the seal unbroken, the recipient or consignee has assurance that the contents of the box are the same as originally deposited, and gives a due receipt for the same.

In the case of a safe-deposit the doors are constructed and provided with locks and seals precisely as in the case of the shipping previously described and illustrated particularly in Fig. 1.

By the invention described I provide for use of the public an improved and novel means for securing shipping and safe-deposit boxes, and also for identification of the sender, recipient, and depositor in such manner as to afford a degree of security not attained by means heretofore employed.

I claim:

A safe receptacle having a hinged door provided on the back with a lock located near its free end, and in front With an opening arranged opposite said lock and constructed With a vertical passage extending from said opening to the top of the door between the latter and the frame into which the door closes, said door and frame being there spaced apart to provide an angular continuation of the vertical passage for receiving and clamping a card in the manner described.

HORACE W. WOODRUFF, SR.

\Vitnesses:

A. W. HART,

SoLoN C. KEMON.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0. 

